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Exodus 2:24; 3:8 |
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2:24 And God heard their groaning,
and God remembered
his covenant with Abraham,
with Isaac, and with Jacob".
to deliver them out of
the hand of the Egyptians,
and to bring them
up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey"
 Links
Anusim Store
Click on the CD cover to review Dona Gracia's CD's
Click on the Tallis above or the special Sephardic Issue of the TJCI magazine below to purchase from our Secure Web Store
Puerta Vallarta
Moreh Adanel with Dona Gracia
Guitar and Menorah in P.V.
Dona Gracia with Anusim Group
Tesistan, MX
Dona Gracia With Luisa & Anjelica
And with more "Cousins"
At A Cousins 25th Anniversary
Buying Tamales at a "Cousin's"
Teul, MX
Finding More of the Muro Clan
Mrs. Muro Gave Us Great Info
DNA Testing
Click on the box for DNA Testing
Anusim Names
Click on the map to check out the SHI Anusim Names Project
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Sephardim Hope News ...And the regathered shall inherit the Negev. Obadiah 1:20 
Nisan 5768/April 2008
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Greetings! ,
 
Breakfast in Tesistan, MX Boardwalk in Puerta Vallarta
As Passover approaches we celebrate the greatness of our G-d of deliverance from our enemies! Sometimes G-d himself must separate us to save us, even though we do not understand his provision at the time. The wilderness is not a pleasant place, but we must continue to follow the cloud and the pillar of fire that is His for us. Although many are facing difficult times, we know that HaShem will continue to sustain us as we look to his Torah word.
SHI will help to host a Seder for about 80 of our South Bay CA community this week. We look forward to this beautiful occasion! We will remember His faithfulness to us.
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Research Trip to Mexico
The SHI research trip to Mexico proved so enlightening and a great blessing! There are many Sephardic Jewish Anusim that must be encouraged and taught. There is a great hunger for their possible Hebraic roots of their families.
We enjoyed speaking and interacting with a small group of possible Anusim in the beautiful city of Puerto Vayarta, Jalisco. Puerto Vayarta is a great tourist area, but has no Synagogue. This is where we met Felicitas Gomez and Antonio Garcia who own the "Pro Arte" art shop in town. Antonio and his son are also local artists. They introduced us to a small group in the area who are learning Torah from their leader/teacher, Adanel Rubio Chavez who calls himself their "moreh". Many of them have been raised Catholics, yet have been very interested in Israel and in Jewish customs for some time. We hope to continue to communicate with this group who has a great love and desire to learn about Israel.
Tesistan and Zapopan Jalisco
Tesistan and Zapopan, Jalisco are about 4 hours away, neighboring towns outside of the great city of Guadalajara. Tesistan holds one of the oldest cathedrals's called El Templo de San Francisco, where the Franciscan monks were sent during the late 1500's to Mexico from Spain. This is where the Inquisition also flourished in Mexico, among the Sephardic Crypto Jews who arrived from Spain. These clans, like my family, came there mainly through Teul, in the state of Zacatecas that is about one hour and 30 minutes away over the mountains. These two towns of Tesistan and Zapopan hold many of our Serrano, Rojas and Juarez families, all connected by my grandfather, Pantaleon Serrano Llamas and Felicitas Muro Cortes. Most of the family members are still the merchants in these towns with grocery stores, restaurants, laundry mats, beauty salons, building material suppliers, truckers(so many own their own rigs!) butchers, etc. Grandfather and grandmother sold lumber, cut from the neighboring forests and sold from burros from town to town, according to the family history.
One of the most interesting interviews was the daughter of my father's oldest brother, Jacinto. Fidedla and her husband Mr. Alvarez Flores own a grocery store. We met their son, Israel caring for their store. They also have another son named Abram. My cousin Fidelina confirmed much of the family history of study of Torah (the Old Testament) by her father and the daily devotions with the children of the family.
Although her father (and the other clan leaders) was "friendly" toward the priests, they did not attend the Catholic Church. This was before there was a Protestant movement in Mexico. Bibles were rare in the general population. Mr. Alvarez recounted some of the cruel ways of the "Santa Inquisicion" during this late period of time on the haciendas with their "lords". Each hacienda had its own priest and many times, confessions were used to make "lists of the accused or trouble makers and their accomplices". These lists were them implemented (since most of the labor population could not read) to "remove" these workers off of haciendas and deal with them in another place. Unfortunately, much cruelty went on under the guise of "religious order" over the common poor laborers.
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| Teul, Zacatecas
Los Portales in Teul, Zacatecas, MX
A long and hilly road across the mountain led us to the small sleepy town of Teul, about one hour and a half away. Here we met, for the first time some long lost relatives of the Felicitas Muro Cortes clan. These people remained in this area after my grandparents left. The names are again repeated, as Jose Muro (also my dad's name) and his sister Blanca Muro Cortes invited us to visit.
At their aunt's home we found 76 year old Mrs. Muro and her close friend Mrs. Cortes, of about the same age, visiting each other. We enjoyed talking about the family connection, as they are still faithful members of this quaint and old community. The Muro part of grandmother Felicitas name also carries the Cortes from her maternal side.
Dona Gracia with Mrs. Muro & Mrs. Cortes
There is much research yet to do, as most of the records of this clan are found in the neighboring town of Florencia, where most of the records are kept upon their arrival from Spain. We were not able to return on Monday, when the registry was open, so we will have to return for further investigation.
There is so much to do in this field of awakening. It is time that the Sephardic lost Jewish Anusim get together and help one another. There appears to be so many obstacles and fragmentation, but we know that HaShem will help us as we rise up together in this important quest. No one can do this for us.
We know there are changes ahead for SHI and we are willing to adjust and move as G-d wills. The Negev stands waiting for her rightful owners. It is important that we rely on G-d and on one another during these difficult times in Israel and abroad. May HaShem lead us to the lost ones and bring his help from above. Our help, after all, is not in man. We will continue to look, not to the "hills" (people), but to G-d himself to provide, lead and comfort our people Israel. He is the G-d of deliverance. | |
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DNA Project Continues
We want to thank you for continuing to use our "DNA project" link on the website. We know G-d will use this tool to discover and encourage many who are in the mist of discovery and return to their true Jewish roots.
Isaiah 11:11-12
11 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. |
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Anusim Names Project
Sephardim Hope International continues to develop a network of B'nei Anusim (Children of Anusim/Crypto- Jews) for the purpose of education and mutual support. This project is called the Anusim Names Project. We believe it is part of the biblical fulfillment of Obadiah 20.
If you feel you have Benei Anusim/Jewish roots in your family line, please email brief information, names, origin, to: anusimproject@sephardimhope.org . You may also fill out the e-Form on our website:Anusim Names Project .
Your information will be held confidentially, unless you include permission for possible research in Israel.
More about the Anusim Names Project....
- Dona Gracia Serrano-Fenn |
Thank You for Your Prayers and Support!
Thank you for your prayers and financial support to SHI. As of now, we are not funded by any other organization or grants, so we totally depend on the goodness of G-d through people interested in this vision (your financial help is SO important to pay some of the loans on the center and taxes each month!). Please remember us in your giving and for those who have never contributed, we invite you to consider this great work of HaShem.
This is such a great task to draw all the Ruths and Naomis together!! We need much help to accomplish our part! Please remember SHI in your giving and please continue writing and emailing us!! More "Anusim" are reaching out and asking questions, giving us information for the future Aliyah gatherings!!. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email us or to call our contact at 408-422-5498 for meeting scheduling or information.
Isaiah 49:8-9 says Here is what ADONAI says: "At the time when I choose, I will answer you; on the day of salvation, I will help you. I have preserved you, and I have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land and distribute again its ruined inheritances to their owners, to say to the prisoners, 'Come out!' to those in darkness, 'Show yourselves!' They will feed along the paths, and all the high hills will be their pastures.
May the Psalm 126 also comfort our hearts as scripture says, "Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the Negev (south). They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
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Awakening The Sephardim To The Negev!
Sephardim Hope International is a benevolent international non-profit organization to bring the message of the Sephardic Anusim Jews (the descendents of the forcibly converted ones) from Spain to the awareness of the Jews, the Christian Church and the world. This is a prophetic message of hope and part of the story of Biblical Zionism.
Sephardim Hope International is also a support to the nation of Israel working in partnership with ohter organizations bringing aid and comfort to Israel and the Jewish people.
Sephardim Hope International is a tax-deductible 501(c)3 educational and charitable organization formed for the above purpose. Donate tax-free to help support Sephardim Hope Internatioanl in this endeavor of education, benevolence and helping the Anusim to make Aliyah to Israel.
We look forward to hearing from many of you. Remember that you can respond to our newsletter or email directly with questions at info@SephardimHope.org.
May HaShem continue to bless you and your families in this great year! Please do contact our administrator, Drake (my awesome husband and webmaster) at Drake@SephardimHope.org for speaking and music engagements. |
Loving Shalom,
Dona Gracia Serrano Fenn
Sephardim Hope International
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